A right medicine, says Karunanidhi
The DMK president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Mr. M. Karunanidhi, today defended his Czechoslovakia-type solution to the Sri Lankan crisis, asserting that any ``mutually agreed'' political solution by the parties to the conflict should not pose any danger to India or Southeast Asia.

'Compulsions behind suggestion'
The Union Defence Minister, Mr. George Fernandes, today hinted that local political compulsions could have weighed with the DMK leader, Mr. M.Karunanidhi, in advocating a Czechoslovakian-type of peaceful, territorial separation to the Sri Lankan Tamils issue, but asserted that there was no change in the Centre's stand.

Indian troops encircled in Sierra Leone
In a further worsening of the situation in Sierra Leone, more than 400 Indian peackeeping troops have been surrounded by rebel militiamen near Kalahum town, according to reports reaching Army Headquarters here.

AICC notice to Ramamurthy
The Congress(I) high command today issued a showcause notice to the former Tamil Nadu unit chief, Mr. Tindivanam Ramamurthy, and gave him seven days to submit a reply. The party's action follows Mr. Ramamurthy's outburst after his dismissal.

Court order to Jayalalitha
The former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Ms. Jayalalitha, has been directed to appear on July 3 before a Chennai special court trying the Rs. 6.5-crore coal import scam case.

Defections jolt Speight
The rebel leader, Mr. George Speight, suffered three defections from his camp today - including a reserve Lieutenant Colonel.

Deadly weapons, prohibitive cost
Sri Lanka's new military hardware, which has helped it stall the offensive of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in the Jaffna peninsula, carries a price tag that could have serious consequences for the economy.

Battle for women's rights far from over: Hillary
She came, she spoke and as in Beijing in 1995, she conquered. To continuous applause and a standing ovation, the United State's first lady, Ms. Hillary Rodham Clinton, set the tone of the United Nations meeting on women that opened here on Monday.

Rescue operation ruled out in Fiji
As the crisis in Fiji over the continued captivity of the Prime Minister, Mr. Mahendra Chaudhry, and 30 others remained unresolved, the military ruler, Commodore J. V. (Frank) Bainimarama, today discounted the option of using force to rescue the hostages in the context of the intransigence by their captor and self-styled ``civil coup'' leader, Mr. George Speight.